What's Your Sign?
by brokenbottleaurora
Summary: A series of interconnected drabbles and short stories in which Parvati and Lavender follow the stars and their hearts.
1. Cancer

Parvati halted outside the door to the sixth year girls' dorm. She could faintly hear the sound of someone sobbing, and she'd just seen Hermione in the common room. This was _not_ good.

She pushed the door open to find Lavender lying on her side, sprawled across her bed with a pile of tissues spilling from her mattress to the stone floor. Her eyes were so puffy that Parvati couldn't make out any of the blue that lay beneath.

Rushing over to comfort her friend, Parvati plopped down on the bed. "Lav, what's wrong? Is everything alright with your family?" In these dark times, it was the first thing on the everyone's minds.

"It's Roooooon!" the blonde wailed. "He- he- he said he didn't know if we shou- _hiccup_ \- should even be together anymooooore!"

Parvati was a bit shocked. It was no secret in Gryffindor Tower- all of Hogwarts, really- that Ron Weasley _really_ enjoyed having a girlfriend. "Shhh, there there, Lav. He'll come to his senses. He was probably just hungry, it will be alright."

Lavender sat up sharply. " _sniff_ \- No it won't. He- _hiccup_ \- won't budge, and neither will I."

Now the other Gryffindor was bewildered. Lavender could always get her way with Ron. All she had to do was bat her eyelashes a bit and drag him off to a broom cupboard for a while. Her feminine wiles were becoming legendary at the school.

Seeing her friend's confusion, Lavender continued, "He wants to get more… _intimate_. And I'm not ready for that. _We're_ not ready for that. And I've told him that again and again, but he just won't stop pushing me to sleep with him or be more physical with him in other ways, if you know what I mean."

Parvati seethed with silent rage. Her cousins in Mumbai had told her about "all the things that men want from women" and the lengths to which some will go to get them. "Has he ever tried to physically push you into it?" she asked, her teeth clenched.

Lavender never noticed her best friend's ire. "No, thank goodness. I mean, his hands have attempted to go places I don't want them, but he at least lets me push them away."

Parvati relaxed, a bit embarrassed by her quick temper. She had a general "romantic distrust of men", as Lavender called it, but Parvati felt it was justified. She'd experienced something similar to Lavender when she briefly dated Anthony Goldstein last year. He had always wanted to kiss her, but she really wasn't interested. Honestly it had happened with pretty much every boy she'd been to Hogsmeade with or flirted with at a party in the common room. It was just hard for her to feel that kind of attraction to someone she didn't know that well, someone she didn't have a connection with. She supposed she had more of a "romantic distrust of people in general".

"I'm glad he has _some_ conscience, but that doesn't make it okay," Parvati sympathized, wrenching herself from her thoughts.

"But I love him!" Lavender cried. "I should _want_ to do this. Yeah, I'm sure I will someday, but right now, all I can think is that I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my future- _our_ futures. But I want him to know that I love him _now_. Why does proving that to him, and letting Ron prove it to me, have to be so uncomfortable? And _complicated_! _Ugh_!"

"It shouldn't be," Parvati said quietly. "If he loves you as much as you love him, he should respect you and therefore your limits. You show Ron respect in the way you interact with other people _and_ with him. He should do the same. And if Ron doesn't value your love enough to _respect_ you, then he doesn't really _love_ you."

Lavender stared at her friend, brow furrowed and mouth agape. "When did you get so smart, Parv?"

"My parents taught me a lot about respect through their marriage, so I figured this wasn't too different. You can't really love someone if you don't respect them," she stated simply.

Parvati braced herself as Lavender pulled her into a crushing, slightly damp hug. With a final squeeze, the blonde pulled back and propped her forehead against the other girl's. For a brief moment, Parvati felt the desire to kiss her best friend. Shaking off the feeling, she pulled away, convinced it was a just a fleeting moment fueled by stress and the need to comfort her best friend of nearly six years.

"Thanks for always listening, Parv. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Don't worry, Lav. You're never going to have to find out."


	2. Taurus

Parvati had spent the better part of the past three days in a chair in the Hogwarts hospital wing. Harry had led the Light to a resounding victory, but their side was not without casualties. The castle was in shambles, people were missing whole body parts, and she'd heard that a few people had even died. But, callous though it might have been, she didn't care about those other people. She was too focused on the witch in front of her.

When the battle was over, the first people Parvati searched for were Padma and Lavender. Padma had been a bit banged up but otherwise no worse for wear. She'd then searched in the Great Hall, the Entrance Hall, the Courtyard, near the Black Lake, anywhere large groups of people were gathered, but there was no sign of Lavender. No one she asked could tell her where her best friend was or even if she was alright. Finally, she caught up with Luna Lovegood, hoping that as one of the student leaders she'd know something.

When Parvati asked about Lavender, Luna's grinning dirt-streaked face fell. "Parvati, I'm so sorry." The Indian girl felt her heart stop beating. "Lavender was attacked by Fenrir Greyback really early on in the fighting, and she got hurt very badly. Someone got her back to the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey wanted to send her to St. Mungo's but they were afraid she wouldn't survive the transport. Madam Pomfrey did the best she could, and last I heard most of the healers from St. Mungo's were here working on the severely injured, like Lavender."

The last words had barely left Luna's mouth before Parvati was careening up the stairs. She had to reroute her path to the hospital wing several times due to collapsed staircases and blocked hallways. Finally, she reached the heavy double doors only to find herself barred from entering.

"I'm very sorry, Miss Patil, but the healers aren't allowing any superfluous people inside until they've gotten all the patients inside stabilized or…" Professor Sprout trailed off, her arm in a sling and a nasty gash on her left cheek.

"Fine. I'll just wait here then," the Gryffindor snapped.

And waited she had. It took three more hours before the doors were opened. Parvati was the first one through, and, as she entered, she saw Madam Pomfrey pull the curtain closed on a white-shrouded body.

Frantically, she searched the remaining beds for her best friend. Some people were so covered with gauze that she had to check the chart attached to the foot of the bed to figure out who they were. She found Lavender lying in bed in the back corner of the hospital wing, much of her left half covered in bandages. The bastard Greyback must have attacked her weak side, Parvati thought. Coward.

She cemented herself into the chair beside Lavender's bed, moving only when Madam Pomfrey kicked her out for showers, meals, and sleep. Parvati clutched her best friend's hand, sometimes talking to her about inane topics, like new hair spells she wanted to try and all the new relationship gossip that had emerged after the battle. Other times she sat in silence and prayed to any deity she could think of that Lavender would be alright.

During her vigil, Parvati watched as Madam Pomfrey and various other healers slowly removed the bandages and gauze from Lavender's wounds. She was told that the blonde should be thankful that the battle had occurred during a new moon, when lycanthropy was least transmissible. Given the extent of her wounds, Lavender wouldn't experience too many side effects; she would probably have slightly coarser hair, much harder nails, and prefer her steaks medium rare now.

The worst part would be the scarring. Lavender had always been proud, and probably a little vain, about her smooth, alabaster skin, and now the entire left side of her body was covered in bite marks and deep scratches. With magic, they would fade almost completely over time, but they would never really go away. She would look a bit like Professor Lupin, as though something about her skin wasn't quite right.

Parvati thought that it was all a fair trade, to be honest. She wouldn't have cared even if the other girl was a full-fledged werewolf, just as long as she was still alive.

On the fourth day, Lavender began to stir. Parvati quickly called Madam Pomfrey over as the blonde roused.

"Miss Brown? Do you know where you are?" the aged medi-witch asked.

Lavender blinked several times as she became fully conscious. "Hogwarts, and if you're here, probably the hospital wing," she rasped.

"You're correct there, Miss Brown. Do you remember how you got here?"

"It's all a little fuzzy," Lavender replied. "One minute I was fighting Death Eaters, and I saw something come at me from my weak side. I moved to block it, but it threw me into a wall. I think I hit my head…" Given that Parvati was holding her right hand, she tried to reach up and touch her head with her left hand. That's when she saw the bandages and the already healing wounds.

" _Ohmigodohmigodohmigod_ what happened to me?" the blonde shrieked, and then she paled. "It was Greyback, wasn't it? He was the one who hit me?" she asked, turning to her best friend.

Parvati nodded sadly. "If there's any good news in this," she said quickly, trying to head off her friend's hysteria, "they've already tested you, and you aren't a werewolf. A few things might have changed, but you won't be transforming under any full moons."

Lavender fell back into her pillows, and Madam Pomfrey left the two friends to comfort each other and catch up. When Parvati had finished updating her on her new status, Lavender leaned forward against her knees and began to sob quietly.

Parvati rubbed her back in soothing circles. "There there, Lav. You're going to be fine, you'll see."

"I'm going to be hideous!" Lavender wailed. "No man, woman, or beast is ever going to want me with all these scars."

"If they can't see past some scars, they don't deserve you," Parvati growled.

Lavender turned her teary blue eyes on her best friend. "Parv, what have I ever done to earn someone like you? You have stuck by me through every year of school, every stupid crush, every broken heart, every bad grade, every dramatic episode. I, I, I-" Lavender grabbed the other witch and kissed her squarely on the mouth. Parvati, once over her initial shock, returned the kiss passionately.

Breaking apart, Lavender blushed but looked curiously at Parvati. "You too?"

"Me too what?" she asked, puzzled.

Lavender began to get upset again. "Don't tell me you're not into girls too. Don't tell me you only kissed me back because you felt bad for me or that you were caught up in the heat of the moment. Oh Merlin, what have I done? Look, we don't ever have to men-"

"LAVENDER! Shut up for a moment, would you?" Parvati cried. "I kissed you back because you're the only person that I ever _have_ or ever _will_ know well enough to love that way. I don't care if you're a runway model or have scars on every inch of your body. Like you said, we've been through so much together, and in the process we've created a connection that no one else could ever come close to beating. I love you," she finished simply.

"I love you too," Lavender said, smiling for the first time in what Parvati thought was far too long. Taking her new girlfriend's hand, Lav prompted her to continue with her post-battle stories. Madam Pomfrey eventually kicked her out again, but this time Parvati was able to leave with a smile of her own.


	3. Sagittarius

**Disclaimer: If the Potterverse was mine, things would have gone very differently. That said, many thanks to JK Rowling for letting us play in the world she created. It's one hell of a sandbox.**

* * *

June 17th

Dear Mum,

I'm glad we took your advice and chose to spend the year traveling. With all the political revolution and other craziness going on back in Britain, Parv and I are enjoying ourselves far more elsewhere. For now, we are still in Paris. We've been to a ton of museums that Hermione and Fleur suggested. Most of them were full of stuffy old paintings, but there were a few pieces in every one that made me glad we went. The food- and the wine!- here are fabulous! I'm going to need a whole new wardrobe if we stay too long.

Speaking of which: mother, you would adore the fashion here! There are so many different styles and trends casually parading down the street that I don't know where to look first. I'm working part time in a designer magical clothing store here, partly for the extra galleons and partly for the employee discount. I guess you can figure where most of my paycheck goes.

Parv is studying with a real, honest-to-Merlin Seer, and he thinks Parv may have some Sight. We're planning on staying in France a bit longer so that she can try to work on developing it. Who knows, I might be in love with the next great British Seer! Even if she's not, I'll still think she's great.

Gotta go mum- it's time to enjoy the Eiffel Tower and some good wine with my girlfriend!

All my love,

Lavender

* * *

October 2nd

Dear Mum,

I know I said I loved Switzerland more than France and then Italy even more than Switzerland, but I think Greece may be my favorite stop so far! The history here is amazing, especially in the wizarding areas of Athens. There are perfectly preserved sections of the Wizarding Acropolis, and there are still all kinds of temples that people _still_ use. You know I've never been one for history or stuffy old buildings, but everything here is just fascinating, and the architecture is gorgeous.

Parv's Divination training is coming along quite nicely, and she's considering making a career out of it. She learned a lot from the old man in Paris, but she's found a new teacher here who makes her last teacher look youthful. Still, the woman has taught her several different forms of divination that Parv had never even heard of- rune stones, pendulum divination, even entrails and bone reading. We may be here for a while too, but that's fine with us. The food and culture are quite different from Britain, but what's life without some adventure?

I hope everyone is doing well. We love you, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!

All my love,

Lavender

* * *

January 24th

Dear Mum,

We've been in India for about two weeks, and it's been an incredible experience. Parv's cousins have opened their homes to us without a second thought and then taken the time to show us around the city and the local wizarding hot spots. It's been a bit of a culture shock for me, but I know that Parv is really excited to be spending time with all of her family, some of whom she hasn't seen in nearly a decade. They also helped me get a job at a sari shop, and I've pick up some Hindi and am learning a lot about fashion in the region.

I've had to learn to eat spicy foods while I'm here- otherwise I might starve. But the flavors are amazing, and there are so many spices that I didn't even know existed. I'm sending some back with this letter, and I hope that you'll use them to try something new for dinner.

The only thing here that's hotter than the food is the temperature! Days here are usually at least 27 degrees, and this is the middle of winter! I'm glad we're visiting now, because I don't think my British internal thermostat could take temperatures any hotter. It's also pretty dry during the day, but at night the humidity makes my hair huge- NOT a good look for me. Parv says I'm beautiful anway, but I think she's a bit biased.

A few of the people in Parv's family have a little Sight, and they've somehow arranged for her to study under the most renowned Seer in the state, possibly the whole country. She's actually really young, maybe forty, but she's teaching Parv techniques and methods that have been in their culture for thousands of years.

I'm glad we could spend the holidays with all of you in Britain, but we're enjoying being back on our own traveling schedule. I promise to write again soon!

All my love,

Lavender

* * *

February 28th,

Dear Mum,

I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures from Bali! Parv learned a ton from the monks and other scholars, but we both learned a lot of yoga! It's great exercise without being too difficult. I'll have to show you when we come home eventually.

Australia is still great. It's nearly autumn here, which is strange, but the beaches are still beautiful. We haven't been back to the outback after the kangaroo incident- no love lost there. The Sydney Opera house was a lot of fun, and we had a blast exploring the wizarding village that you can get to from its roof. I actually got a job at another dress shop here, and the managers have allowed me to style several customers, which I think I'm pretty good at; Parv agrees.

I think we're almost ready to head for the Americas, but we haven't decided on a time frame yet. We'll let you know when we get somewhere new, at least!

All my love,

Lavender

* * *

March 12th

Rio is unbelievable! We made it here for Carnival, and it's like a feast for the eyes. Even muggles wear intricate costumes that would put anything in Madame Malkin's or at a Halloween ball to shame, and their parade floats are so lifelike that I'm convinced that magic is involved somehow. I'm enclosing some pictures so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about. Hope you like them!

We're headed out to explore part of the Amazon in a few days, and after that we're going to do a quick tour of Patagonia. We've also got to fit Sao Paolo and trip to Tierra del Fuego into our trip somehow! Then we're going to work our way up through Central America, and we're definitely going to stop and "snorkel" (read: use gillyweed to explore) the world famous reef in Belize!

These days Parvati has been doing less studying with teachers and more independent research and practice. I think she's really talented, and she's actually a great teacher too. She even helped me harness a little of my own Sight, which was neat.

I'm going to have a kip before we go to some more Carnival celebrations tonight- these people know how to party, and we need plenty of rest if we're going to hang with them!

All my love,

Lavender

* * *

May 29th

Dear Mum,

I'm sorry for not writing you sooner, but I couldn't find the words to say.

America is insane.

I can't begin to tell you how huge it is and how many places we have already visited- and every single one has been completely different! Seattle was really rainy and kind of gloomy, but the muggle music scene was fascinating and has spawned some really cool fashion trends- I'm taking lots of notes. Las Vegas was super bright and lit up ALL. THE. TIME. which got old kind of quick, but we loved seeing the wizarding side of the gambling world. Los Angeles was really sunny, and we had a great time on the beaches, watching for celebrities, and shopping at all those really upscale boutiques. Everyone was dressed like they were ready for a day at the beach, and I can't say I blame them, because if I lived here I'd visit every chance I got.

We're supposed to make our next stop in Texas, which everyone tells me is like its own country anyway. After that we're headed to the beach somewhere on the Gulf of Mexico for a few days- their sand is supposed to look like white sugar, but we'll have to see. Then we're moving on to New Orleans to visit the wizarding alley there. Everyone says it's got the best food _and_ music, plus a lot of French influences that we want to see for ourselves.

There are a few more stops in between, but we're going to end our world tour in New York City. I am SO excited to watch a Broadway play, visit Times Square, see the Statue of Liberty- all the touristy things. Plus, we're going to spend a little while everyday just people watching and scoping out any cutting edge clothing trends we can find.

Mum, thanks again for pushing us to travel. I can't begin to tell you how much we've grown as people and as a couple because we decided to do this world tour together. And I'm beyond grateful to have seen so much of what this world has to offer, but your girl will be happy to be back home in gloomy old England.

We love you all so much, and we will see you VERY soon!

All my love,

Lavender


	4. Pisces

On December 24th, Parvati and Lavender sat on their couch, presents in hand. They played this game every Christmas, each girl trying to guess what the other had gotten for them. Lavender had never been right, but she liked how their little game increased the excitement of opening gifts. Parvati, on the other hand, had yet to be wrong. In the four years they had been together, she'd guessed perfectly every time, even without using her Sight. She simply paid attention and asked a lot of questions.

"I think it's your turn to go first," Parvati said, eyeing the large box in her girlfriend's hands.

"Ugh, fine," she replied with a huff. She thought long and hard about the errands Parvati had run over the past few weeks, but she there wasn't any pattern. The box was no larger than a shoebox, but that didn't mean the gift was that size- Parv played dirty when she wanted to. Lavender didn't receive any divine revelations, so she just had to wing it. "Uhhhh, maybe a new pair of high-heeled boots?"

Parvati shook her head and thrust the box at Lavender with a grin. The blonde ripped through the paper and opened the box to find… another box. She tore it open and found the same thing again… and again… and again. Inside the fifth box, she found a large, flat velvet case. Lavender looked up at her girlfriend with huge eyes and then flipped open the lid.

Nestled in the black velvet was a beautiful tennis bracelet with alternating round diamonds and sapphires. The card inside gave a list of all the different charms it was enchanted to dispel. Lavender pulled it out with shaking hands and put it on her wrist- it fit like a charm.

"Honey, this is beautiful," she breathed. "How on earth did you afford this?"

Parvati shrugged. "I've been saving the tips from my readings for a while, and some people were feeling especially generous this holiday season. You've been working so hard at the magazine, I thought you deserved something pretty."

Lavender wrapped her in a tight hug. "Thank you so much. I love it!" Remembering that she was still holding a wrapped box, she straightened and put her game face back on. "Okay, it's your turn now. What's inside the box?" Lavender asked, giving the large box a teasing wiggle.

Parvati tried to consider all the information she'd gathered in the past month. Lavender had been promoted to a full-time columnist with Witch Weekly about six months ago. It was a great fit and a bigger paycheck for her girlfriend, so she had a bit more money to spend this year. She hadn't frequented any jewelry shops, otherwise Parvati would surely have run into her while she was checking up on Lavender's gift. Knowing Lav, that meant it was probably clothes of some kind. She'd been complaining about needing a new cloak for a while now as hers was getting rather ragged, and Madame Malkin's had recently put some really nice ones on sale.

"Hmmm, I'm going to say… a cloak!" Parvati predicted confidently.

Lavender grinned. "NOPE!"

The brunette's face went from smirking to puzzled. Everything added up. What could it be otherwise?

"I had this hidden at Seamus and Dean's for a while now, so they'll be glad that it's gone. There's also a silencing charm on it. Here, open it, open it!" Lavender cried, thrusting the box into Parvati's hands.

She carefully pulled off the gold bow and tore open the red paper. She opened the box and reached inside to pull out the most beautiful black lab puppy.

"Meet Smudge!" Lavender chirped.

Parvati was speechless as she pulled the pup from his box. She'd asked her parents for a dog her entire life, and by the time she left Hogwarts she had given up on the idea. Lavender had asked about her pets their first year at Hogwarts, but they had never really discussed her childhood dream again.

"Lav, he's precious," Parvati said as Smudge's little pink tongue licked at the tear rolling down her cheek. "I can't believe you remembered. After all this time…"

Lavender grinned. "I'm always going to do my best to make your dreams come true, honey. This one I'm glad to take care of. Happy Christmas!"

That night there were plenty of puppy- and human- kisses to go around.


	5. Libra

**For velvet magnolias** and the HPFC November Fic Exchange (sorry this is late- real life has been insaaaaaaaane- but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I love this ship, so thanks for requesting it!)

Prompts: Lavender Brown/Parvati Patil, romance/angst/comfort, Insomnia

 **MC4A Challenge Block**

Stacked with: Fem Power Challenge, Sky's the Limit, Gryffindor MC2, Ethnic & Present, In a Flash, All-Female Ship, Sapphic September

Bonus Challenges: Under the Bridge, Sweetest Burn, Second Verse (Not a Lamp, Wabi Sabi, Tomorrow's Shade, Unwanted Advice, Creature Feature, Bechdel Test, Clio's Conclusion, Esbat)

Representation: Lavender Brown; Parvati Patil; Accepting Change; Lycanthropy

Many thanks to Magi Silverwolf for her help in getting all these tags/fills labeled correctly!

* * *

She couldn't sleep.

Lavender flopped onto her back and fluffed her pillow. She counted unicorns. She took deep, calming breaths and slowly relaxed her muscles. She imagined herself beside a tranquil forest stream.

And still she was wide awake.

Moving slowly so as not to wake Parvati, Lavender slid out of bed, tossed on her slippers and dressing gown, and trudged to the kitchen. As she filled the kettle, she felt an intangible force pull her gaze through the window above the sink and up into the heavens. Damn full moon.

She put the kettle on and settled at the worn table with a sigh, fighting the urge to fidget. She hated that she got so… energetic at this point in the lunar cycle. Her mild, "asymptomatic" lycanthropy was something she could usually forget, as long as she didn't look in the mirror. Or eat meat. Or brush her hair. Or play with someone's pet. Lavender blinked away tears at the thought; she'd sworn she wouldn't wallow or feel sorry for herself. She had a wonderful life. She loved her girlfriend, her friends, her home, her career, her magic, absolutely everything else about her very existence. It was all so perfect – except this damn infection.

The shriek of the kettle wrench her from her moping. She snatched it from the burner and quietly made herself a cup of Earl Grey. Caffeine wasn't going to hurt at this point.

Lavender turned and nearly dropped her mug. Parvati yawned a smile from where she leaned against the doorjamb.

"How long have you been standing there?" Lavender groused, dropping back into her chair. She despised being snuck up on, but these days it was a lot harder to do.

"Long enough to know that you're lost in your own head again," Parvati replied, picking up the kettle to make her own cup of tea. "Wanna tell me about it?"

Lavender sighed. "Same old dragon dung that happens every full moon. I just can't sleep."

"Right," Parvati agreed, the scent of her black tea tickling Lavender's nose. "But that's not what's _really_ bothering you."

"Damn Seers," the blonde muttered.

Parvati just sat quietly, allowing her tea and the silence to steep. She liked to say that, when the hush stretched on too long, people had a tendency to fill the void with whatever was at the forefront of their minds. It was her favorite tactic for getting the consummately-optimistic Lavender to talk about her problems. And damn if it didn't work like a charm.

"I just hate that this single event in my life, this one part of me defines me so much," Lavender whispered. "I hate that can't get past all this wolfy crap. I've had over two years – 27 lunar cycles. And I hate that I know that. I hate that it feels like I'm never going to be _me_ again."

"Lavender," Parvati said sadly, and the blonde had to look away from her soft, pitying gaze. "I know you don't want to admit it, but maybe this _is_ you. Maybe this is your new normal."

Lavender slammed her mug down on the counter. "I don't _want_ it to be my new normal. I want my life back!" Feeling cornered and anxious, she moved to the window to gaze out at the sky. She stared at the bright moon and had to fight the prickle – a latent howl? – that formed in her throat.

With deliberate movements, Parvati slowly walked up behind her girlfriend and wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist. "What's your least favorite part about me?"

Not expecting that particular question, Lavender blanched. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Parvati snorted. "Just go with me on this, alright?"

"Uhm… I guess… Sometimes you can be really moody and standoffish, especially when you're stressed. And that's really hard for me because that's when I just want to make everything better," Lavender said.

"Okay, don't think I knew that, but let's keep going," Parvati muttered. "When I get like that, what do you do?"

Lavender immediately said, "I try to make sure that we have your favorite tea, and I suggest we have dinner at La Lumiere Vive because I know it's your favorite."

"Should have seen that one coming. And why do you do all of this and put up with me when I'm being a complete witch?"

"Because I love you!"

"Would you do that if I was mean and cold all the time?"

"What does that even matter? You're hardly ever like that," Lavender reasoned. "It happens _maybe_ every month or two."

"And how long have you been putting up with this part of me?"

"As long as I've known you. I swear it's just your personality. But I love you for it, in spite of it, around it, however you want to think about it, because it's only one part of… ughhhhhh..." Lavender groaned, realizing she'd walked right into one of Parvati's "learning moments".

Parvati gave her a quick squeeze around the middle. "I think you've got it now. This is a part of you, and we're going to learn how to balance it – together."

"Love you, Parv," Lavender whispered.

"Back at ya, babe. Now let's finish our tea and then maybe we can whip up a batch of cookies or whatever. Just get some of that energy out of you," Parvati said.

Lavender grinned. "Sounds like a plan." Maybe it wasn't a perfect plan, but, if she had to be awake all night, spending it hanging out with her girlfriend sounded like the perfect place to start.


	6. Gemini

**Disclaimer: If the Potterverse was mine, things would have gone very differently. That said, many thanks to JK Rowling for letting us play in the world she created. It's one hell of a sandbox.**

* * *

Lavender knew it was kind of cheesy, but she adored her morning ritual with Parvati. They would wake a little earlier than necessary and have a cup of tea while passing sections of the Quibbler back and forth. When they were finished, they always took a few moments to read each other's tea leaves. She was pretty rubbish at it, but she felt Parvati always gave her good advice to start her day with.

This Sunday morning started like any other had for the past eight years, Parvati with her rooibos and Lavender with her Earl Grey. There wasn't anything particularly important in the paper, so they chatted back and forth about different articles and everything they planned to do that day. Quibbler read and tea drunk, the two witches swapped mugs.

"I want to go first today, if you don't mind," Parvati said. "I'm just getting a feeling that I need to."

Lavender shrugged. "Fine by me."

The Seer took a moment to study the leaves, occasionally turning her head or rotating the mug. "It looks like you are going to be asked to make a very important choice today. Follow your heart and it will bring you great joy and success," she said quietly.

That seemed like good advice to Lavender. It was moments like this that she was thankful to have such a talented and caring girlfriend.

The blonde witch grabbed the other mug. "My turn! Hmm… It looks like… You've been anxious about something, but it's going to be resolved today, or at least in the near future… Hmm... Yeah, that's what I see."

Lavender looked up from the mug to see Parvati holding a pair of diamond rings, her eyes bright but tense.

Parvati cleared her throat. "Lavender, I may have a twin sister, but I know now that you are truly my other half. I have been in love with you and only you since Hogwarts, and I've only grown to love you more. You have stuck with me through the good and the bad, and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you, side by side, taking on whatever the universe sends us. I can't promise life will always be perfect, but I can promise that we'll always do it together. Lavender Brown, will you marry me?"

For one of the only times in her life, Lavender was speechless. Dumbly, she nodded her head.

Her new fiancée grinned and pulled her in for a sweet kiss, full of promises and devotion. Parvati then slid a ring, mounted with beautiful pear-cut diamond with baguettes on either side, onto Lavender's left hand. The blonde was finally out of the haze of shock and quickly slipped a princess-cut diamond solitaire onto Parvati's ring finger. They spent the rest of their day ignoring their to-do lists, instead reveling in their new status and celebrating a bright future together.


	7. Aquarius

Hermione's jaw dropped. "You want me to help you make a _what_?"

"A line of magical sex toys," Lavender reiterated, leaning forward to rest on her elbows and, hopefully, hide her shaking hands. "You know, charmed for 'battery' life, customizable, pre-programmable if you want, items that come in pairs and work over long distances. And we want to make sure there's something for everyone."

"We've already got the funding for production- Fred and George know a good investment when they see it," Parvati squeaked out.

Lavender continued, "And they've already decided to call the division "Wicked Witch Wares", but they'll sell the products under the brand "Miss Minx" to give themselves some cover at first."

"We realize that we'll have to start small, and at first we'll only produce 'woman-directed' toys under that name- you know how some wizards are about that kind of thing," Parvati said with an eye roll and nervous chuckle. "Once they catch on, like we know they will, we can create different brands under the parent division to sell items catered to different customer demographics."

"What are your marketing and distribution plans?" Hermione asked unexpectedly.

"Mail order," Parvati replied promptly, thankful the quiver in her voice was gone. "We know it's going to take a while before the population at large is comfortable seeing an adult store in public, even if they buy the products via owl. Plus, this will give us time to build up a client base."

Lavender dropped a thick file folder full of parchment on the kitchen table in front of her. "These are our original concepts with input from the Weasleys. We know what we want, but we're going to need your help to implement our designs. We can bring the ideas, you can bring the know-how." The blond witch sat back in her chair and shakily stirred her tea, waiting for the other witch to respond.

Hermione picked up the folder and sat back, carefully considering each piece before stacking them all in a neat pile. Lavender and Parvati hardly dared to breathe, knowing that, even with Fred and George at their disposal, Hermione's unrivaled creativity and knowledge were the key to making their business plan a reality. She literally held their future in her hands.

"These are quite impressive," Hermione mused. "But I don't think I understand… Ahhh, that makes sense now…With the right runes and maybe a few charms... That could cause some issues… But I can get around that by… Motion rune plus a repetition rune… Ooh, innovative _and_ promising… Yes, yes, I can work with this…" She looked penetratingly at her old friends seated across from her in Potter Manor's kitchen. "If you two- or four, really- are serious about this, we can make it happen."

Parvati squealed. "So you'll do it?!"

Hermione nodded. "And if you don't mind, I'd like to see if Harry is interested in investing as well." She clapped her hands briskly. "Let's start with the most basic ones first. I think that if you use the runes for…"

Six months later, Wicked Witch Wares shipped its first Miss Minx products out of the back of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. The former Gryffindors popped a bottle of muggle champagne to celebrate.

Two years later, Lavender and Parvati were able to rent their own space for a "seeing" or "divining" room. Parvati used her weekends off to do readings on the bottom floor and give them some semblance of legitimacy. Upstairs, however, was where the real magic happened. It was basically a giant store room that the two renovated to make a production area and, sometimes, a showroom floor. Their real business was steadily growing, and all involved were pleased with their return on investment. The friends threw themselves a dinner party in honor of this achievement.

Five years later, they had a sign out front. It wasn't so large as to offend the general passersby, but it was easy to spot the bright pink letters on the window if you were looking for them. The division had also officially diversified and began creating products aimed more toward the male population. Fred and George were able to get more involved in this stage of the branch's development, given their personal experiences as both men and potioneers. Parvati and Lavender used some of their profits to take a trip to Australia, their best holiday yet.

Ten years after that nerve-wracking meeting at Potter Manor, Wicked Witch Wares was a business highly respected and widely known, if not often spoken of. It operated a store slightly larger than the original front on a quiet side street in Diagon Alley. The store's staff were friendly, knowledgeable, non-judgmental, and oath-bound to confidentiality, so anyone who shopped there could do so comfortably. Parvati and Lavender were pleased with the outcome. Their store was quite profitable, and it allowed them to work together every day if they chose to do so. Those who didn't know them well were surprised by and often commented on the ingenuity, ambition, and dedication the two witches needed to pull this off. The lionesses just smiled in response, knowing that their success had truly begun with a single idea and a whole lot of nerve.


	8. Capricorn

Lavender took another lick of her double scoop chocolate cone, savoring the luxurious richness until a small voice pulled her back to reality.

"Mummy, can I have chocolate _and_ vanilla?" asked a small boy with dark hair and pale blue eyes.

His mother ruffled his curls, saying, "Not today, Jonah. How about some sprinkles instead?"

The boy deemed this a reasonable compromise, and his mother scooped him up to "help" her pay the young wizard behind the counter at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. She had never really wanted to be a mother, especially since wizarding society had considered that "the best path for all women" for pretty much her entire life. It wasn't until women like Nympadora Tonks, head auror, and Katie Bell-Jordan, coach of the Appleby Arrows, began making news with their soundbites that opinions started to change. Still, there was a minute part of her that wondered if she and Parvati were missing out.

She looked over to where her wife was enjoying her own pistachio double scoop. "Parv, do you ever regret not having kids?"

The Indian woman nearly dropped her ice cream. "What brought this on?" she asked, answering her own question when she caught sight of Jonah and his mum. Parvati's dark eyes softened. "Lav, we can barely keep a plant alive. I really don't think either one of us were exactly destined for motherhood."

"But don't you feel like you've missed out? Like your biological clock is telling you that you've slept through your alarm? And we've never even talked about what your family must think of us for not having children," she pushed, trying not to imagine little boys with curly blond hair and deep brown eyes.

"Honestly, no," Parvati said, thinking aloud. "We're both career women- you're the youngest chief editor Witch Weekly has ever had, I have my own successful divination firm employed important corporate clients, and together we run a semi-clandestine sex toy business. All this allows us to support a ton of charities and mentor younger witches with similar ambitions while still having a vibrant social life. We have a ton on our plates, and we've used it to do a lot of good, but I don't think we could have done half of that if we'd been busy with toddlers or teenagers. And as far as my family is concerned, my parents and sister don't care as long as I'm happy. They know that I'm not anti-family or anti-children, but they understand that having kids is not for everyone."

Lavender smiled sadly. "I know you're right. I never would have made chief editor if I'd had to take even one maternity leave, and WWW would probably have just been a pipe dream if we busy with dirty diapers and teenage drama. I just can't help but wonder what could have been, you know?"

Parvati reached across the table to hold her wife's hand. "Baby, you can't dwell on the 'what ifs' and the 'could have beens'; if you do, you'll never be happy in the now. And think of all the things that could have gone wrong and kept us apart! What if we'd never told each other how we feel? What if you'd never been attacked by Greyback? What if my parents hadn't moved away from Mumbai? What if I had kept dating Anthony Goldstein and let him kiss me when I didn't want him to? There's some muggle theory Padma keeps trying to explain to me that thinks there's an infinite number of universes in which everyone makes different choices. I don't want to believe that. The only way I would ever want to exist is just as we are now."

The blonde witch wiped her eyes. "I think you're right, Parv. I love us, every part of it. And this way, we can focus on being the cool, fun aunts to all of Padma and Colin's kids! Come on, let's go look at some new baby clothes. She's about to pop, and I want this little girl to look absolutely adorable from day one! We can finish our ice cream on the way!"

Parvati allowed herself to be dragged out of the shop with ice cream dripping down her hand, thanking Merlin that everything had turned out just the way she hadn't planned.


	9. Virgo

**Disclaimer: If the Potterverse was mine, things would have gone very differently. That said, many thanks to JK Rowling for letting us play in the world she created. It's one hell of a sandbox.**

Another disclaimer: Inspiration for this chapter was taken from Taylor Swift's song "New Year's Day". I obviously don't own it or any rights to it; otherwise I wouldn't have put half those songs on the album.

* * *

Parvati groaned as she walked downstairs. Her head was pounding, her throat was dry, and she was afraid she might be sick if she moved to fast. And there was glitter _everywhere_.

She picked her way through bottles, furniture, and jackets scattered all over the living room, heading for the kitchen. As she pushed through the door, Lavender just smiled, passing her a cup of tea and a vial of hangover potion. Parvati threw the remedy back and chased it with tea, grimacing at the bitter taste.

"Thanks babe. Ugh, I felt like utter shite. That didn't used to happen, even after we drank that entire bottle of rum at Carnival." She sank down into a kitchen chair and stretched carefully. "Ever think we might be getting too old for this?" Parvati asked as her internal organs began to feel normal again.

Lavender shook her head. "No, I don't. We're ridiculously responsible adults on a day to day basis, so I love a good party to make me feel young and a little reckless again. And we don't just do this for ourselves. Our friends love it, and for some of them it's one of the few times a year they can really let their hair down. I mean, Hermione Potter was utterly sloshed, giggling and holding her shoes as Harry hauled her home in a fireman's carry, for crying out loud. Plus, we've been throwing this party for the last twenty years. What are we going to do, just stop celebrating New Year's? Because I don't think I remember how to do it any other way. No, I think we'll just have to be a little smarter next year."

Parvati had to smile at that. Hermione _had_ been hilariously drunk last night, and Harry actually seemed to enjoy playing the responsible one for once, carrying his laughing wife home through the floo just after midnight. Ron and Verity had left not long afterward to pick up Molly and Arthur's youngest grandchildren from the Burrow. Padma and Colin had left with Neville and Hannah around 1:30, both couples still new enough to want to celebrate a little more privately. Ginny, Luna, Fred, Alicia, George, and Angelina had stayed for a few more rounds and several more stories and ridiculous plans for the new year. Seamus and Dean had finally left about an hour before dawn and had promised to come back and help clean up the aftermath when they were sufficiently sober again. Both witches knew they would sleep through the whole morning, but they appreciated the sentiment all the same.

The group of friends had made a lot of great memories at the Patil-Brown New Year's Party over the past two decades. Pregnancies were announced, engagements were toasted, stories were shared and exaggerated, old tales were dredged up and laughed at. Parvati decided that a giant hangover and a ton of cleaning were worth the experience.

The two witches finished their tea and dragged themselves into the living room again. Colin had brought his newest toy, a muggle Polaroid camera, and taken a ton of pictures. The wives had a blast reliving the party as they pieced together his photographic timeline of last night. Rather than vanishing the various bottles and cans, they collected them in a large box to take to the new recycling center.

Parvati didn't know what made her do it. But as she finished searching for empty butterbeer bottles under the sofa, she stood and looked at where her wife stood, carefully removing candlewax from their rug and hardwood floor. Her blonde hair had begun to show streaks of gray, and the skin around her eyes was a little more crinkled than it used to be. Her body wasn't the slim figure of a teenager, and the lines around her mouth showed just how much she had laughed and smiled since Parvati had fallen in love with her. She was still perfect.

Lavender was right- the annual New Year's party made everyone feel a bit like the teenagers they'd been when they first met, which was great. It reminded the two witches of the fearless love they'd shared as teens, back when everything was new and exciting and memorable. But Parvati wouldn't trade anything for what she had now- a case of empty bottles and a mess of glitter created by great friends, and a cup of tea before cleaning it all up with her still beautiful love of twenty years.


End file.
